Pirate Meets Gebler
by MovieVillain
Summary: Nami and Elly have been best friends since childhood, and upon their reunion, they decided to have an adventure on their own.
1. Prologue

In some forest, there is a little girl who looks sad as she is sitting on a rock by herself. The weather is not good as it's raining, and she is soaking wet.

"Hey, you need some help?" a voice said and as she turns around, it's another little girl. Not only that, but also the fact that her hair color matches with hers. They're both redheads.

Helping her get to a cave as the rain gets harder, they were sure to have their moment together.

"Hey, um, thanks for helping me feel better," said the depressed girl as she started to look better.

"No problem," the other redhead replied with a smile on her face. In fact, she is optimistic. "My name is Elhaym Van Houten, but call me Elly."

"I'm Nami. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too."

The two hold their hands to each other, starting a beautiful friendship between them. As they spent time in the cave, they started to get to know each other. Once the rain ends, they went to their separate ways.

Despite this, their friendship remains.


	2. Bitter Reunion

As years go by, Nami grows up to become a navigator for the Straw Hat Pirates, while Elly grows up to become a Solaris soldier.

A reunion is about to occur.

The former is taking a walk with the crew by the canyon as they look for something new.

"I think we should be able to have the next adventure in Solaris," Luffy instructed his crew. "What do you guys think?"

"I say that would be a good idea," Sanji replied in a romantic way. "I would like to see some girl soldiers in uniforms!"

"Good idea, anyway," Zoro added.

"Same here," Nami smiled at the idea, thinking this is going to be a great reunion between her and Elly. It's been a while since they last saw each other when they were kids.

"Hey, what's going on?" Luffy asked as they all stopped walking to see a confrontation between a dark Gear and a team of Gears fighting against it.

"What the...?!" Usopp yelped as his eyes bugged out and jaw dropped.

"No way!" Nami gasped while Chopper looks shocked as he makes the same reaction.

Among the Straw Hat Pirates reacting on seeing the fight, Nami seems to be stunned at what she is seeing. The truth is, she only cares about the pink mecha, not the dark mecha nor the mechas that are sided with the former, as if she suspects on who is piloting it. Not only that, but also the fact that she has a bad childhood memory connecting it to a psychotic drug ten years ago.

"That's..." Sanji muttered.

"Oh no," Zoro knew there's trouble ahead.

"My..." Robin muttered and not looking surprised.

"Oh my... It's a fight between mecha pilots," Brook is looking excited. "This I gotta see!"

"But it's awful that the Solaris are fighting us land dwellers!" Franky started to cry.

The one who seemed to be most shocked of all, and seemingly the most angry, is Nami as she started gritting her teeth to see if her suspicions are true.

It was then the pink Gear steps in to fight the dark Gear.

"Ooh, it looks like the pink one is about to fight the dark one," Robin chuckled.

"I hope the pilot is a girl!" Sanji exclaimed happily with his eye changed into a heart-like shape for romance.

"If that's the case, then you should be careful when she's using the 'Drive'."

"Huh? What's the 'Drive'?"

"It's a drug from Solaris that can enhance the performance of a Solaris soldier. However, it can cause addiction and violent behavior," Robin answered the question.

"If that happens, I wouldn't want to fight her. Besides, I won't kick a woman," Sanji looks down on the matter.

Upon seeing what is going on just now, Nami is staring to lose her temper as she has her fists clenched tightly as the fire burned her body, and her eyes flaming with the heat of her rage.

"IF THAT'S YOU, ELLY, AND YOU HAVE TAKEN THE 'DRIVE', QUIT SCREWING WITH ME!" she bellowed out.

"If I didn't know any better, the Gebler has some serious insubordination from a Lamb," Robin stated with a smile.

"Huh? What's a Lamb?" Luffy asked like an idiot.

"Lamb is what Solarians call people that are living in the planet's surface. In other words, people that are living in Earth. You could say this term is used as a racist insult, along with 'surface dwellers'," was her reply.

"Amazing," Chopper croaked out while Nami is burning behind the crew. "This is the first time I saw a Gebler soldier fighting someone who is living in this planet."

"That voice?! Elly? Elly, is that you?!" asked the manly voice from the dark mecha.

"Fei... What're you doing? You shouldn't be here!" exclaimed a feminine voice from the pink mecha.

Hearing what the pilot of the pink mecha just said made Nami snapped as her suspicions are confirmed and her eyes shined like star-crossed. A similar reaction to how Sanji snapped after Duval yelled that it was all his fault that his life was ruined by the fact that the drawing resembles his face. Like Sanji, Nami started running towards the battle to do something about this.

"Hey, Nami, where are you going?!" Usopp asked.

The girl brings up her weapon, a bo-staff known as the Perfect Clima-Tact, while she started running to the fight. After the two mechas exchange blows, a conversation comes up.

"Elly, snap out of it!" Fei begged. "Your emotions are being controlled by the drug!"

"This is my true nature! There is no other!" the woman inside retorted.

Nami runs in front of the pink mecha as she jumps up high and is ready to strike it with her weapon.

"WHO CARES?!"

And she successfully did it.

"Elly!" the Solaris soldier's squad exclaimed upon seeing what damage the navigator pulled on their leader with the Perfect Clima-Tact.

"Nami? Nami, is that you?!" she asked, recognizing her immediately after recovering from the attack.

"Geez, who do you think it is, Elly?!" Nami exclaimed.

"Listen up, Nami!" Elly bellows from her mecha. "If I'm not gonna take responsibility for this, then who will?!"

"Shut the hell up!" the redhead pirate yelled back. "I'm more pissed off at what you're trying to do on our reunion!"

The two then are locked into a glaring contest.

"You know, if you're so powerful when you use the 'Drive' on yourself, get out of that giant tin can of yours and face me in person!" Nami exclaimed.

"If that's what you want, then here I come," the pilot agreed on the condition.

The pink Gear's center opens up and a girl landed on her feet. She has red hair and blue-violet eyes. That is Elly, and the two childhood friends got their reunion after all these years. If that wasn't enough, Sanji is beginning to have his fantasy of falling in love with her.

"Just as I thought. You have taken the 'Drive'," Nami stated as she gets a good look at Elly's face, which is not normal, it's much more aggressive and impassionate. Her expression is so contorted it makes her look almost like a zombie. Then, she shifts her focus to Elly's outfit from head to toe. Elly is wearing a black and white long-sleeved minidress with a complex design, brown pantyhose, and black and white light boots. This means she is a Gebler soldier, and that turned her into an object for Sanji's affections. "I see. I heard rumors of a female redheaded Gebler soldier running around, and to think you, of all people, are that soldier."

Meanwhile, the Straw Hat Pirates are taking quite an interest in seeing the battle between them.

"What?! Nami knows who is piloting that thing?!" Usopp looks surprised.

"Unbelievable. To think she has some history with a Gebler soldier," Chopper added. So things like this can really happen, huh?"

"What a surprise. This world is so big to get this kind of reunion," Brook commented.

"Was Nami born under kind of miracle star or something?" Usopp asked.

"I think she might have a good strategy to snap that Solaris soldier from the influence of the 'Drive'," Robin added.

"Hey, guys. Do you think we can be friends with Elly?" Franky cried in tears.

The comparison between the two redheads like their hair color, eyes, and mouth which they have an aggressive impression is quite obvious.

"Those two do look the same, don't they?" Usopp commented.

"Especially the part where that female officer has gone crazy from the 'Drive'," Zoro added.

"For once, I agree with you on that one, Moss Head. Two peas in a pod," Sanji also added.

Hearing that last comment just made Nami look shocked in a bad way with her teeth gritting as if her pride of being beautiful or sane was crushed. It's a combination of being depressed and disgraced. To her, it's such a huge insult she couldn't handle with. Besides, comparing her to an old friend from childhood who went crazy from some drug is really bland. A similar reaction as Sanji's when he heard Zoro said the same thing when it comes to being compared with Duval. If that wasn't enough, Brook is reduced to laughing at this as he falls down on the ground and beats his fist against it.

"When I'm done with this woman, I'm gonna flatten you!" Nami snapped at the skeleton.

"Well, you go ahead and take care of things," Luffy commented while raising his hand in farewell. "We'll sit this one out."

"Don't act like it's my fault!" Nami then yells at her captain, being outraged by this idea, while pointing her finger at the drugged Elly. Then, she turns her attention back to the latter. "Elly, like Fei here... Fei, isn't it? Is that what she called you?"

"Yes, she did," replied the man as he got out of his Gear.

"Like Fei, I know what the real you is like. We've been best friends ever since we were kids. I know how you truly feel, so if you didn't want use the Drive to fight me nor Fei, then why didn't you just run away from here and report this little failure to your boss instead of what you're doing right now!"

Elly looks angry for a few seconds, especially her personality has changed from nice to hostile since she used the 'Drive' on herself. Nami just loves to state the most obvious solution to this problem. Then...

"Ah! I didn't think of that!" she pounded a fist to her palm.

"IF YOU'RE THAT STUPID, YOU CAN ONLY BLAME YOURSELF!" Nami roared in disbelief.

"Just shut up and listen to me!" Elly yelled back. "You know, Nami, I was just doing my job for my allies, and you're interfering! If that's a problem for you, then how about you just kill me right now and get it over with?!"

Nami's eye twitched from hearing such statement. She appeared in front of the drugged soldier, and grabs her throat with her hand.

"I'm being killed!" the latter croaked.

"You're telling that you put me and Fei in danger, even if we have nothing to do with this, just because of your profession as a Gebler soldier?" the former snarled.

"That is my purpose of my life since I was born!" Elly continued, despite being at Nami's mercy. "I don't know what else I can to do! Now that you're here, you can die with Fei!"

She pulls out her weapon, a rod, and started swinging it to Nami, freeing herself from her grip.

"Then, let me just knock some sense into that thick skull of yours by beating the crap out of you!" Nami readies the Clima-Tact. She jumps to her, and the latter blocks it in response. "Elly!"

"Hahaha! So, it really is you, Nami!" the redhead soldier laughed from insanity due to the influence of the 'Drive' while blocking the attack with her rod.

"And I say it really is you, Elly!" her long-time friend replied back.

The two then jump far away from each other. Nami runs to make another swing from her weapon, but Elly jumps out of the way, and the latter tries to make a swing from her rod. Luckily, the former dodges that as well.

"Cool Charge!" Nami uses her weapon to cool down the temperature of the surrounding for her next attack.

"Playtime is over," Elly has her rod charging with electricity and strikes it down to Nami, but as she did, the latter just disappeared, putting her in surprise. "What the...?"

"I call it the Mirage Tempo!" the redhead pirate appeared from behind her. "I'm over here, by the way!"

Her long-time friend continuously attack her, ranging from her rod to kicks, only to find out that each attack is only done to mirages. While this is going on, Nami has decided to talk to her.

"Elly! Some guy named Bart told me everything. Everything makes sense to me. The 'Drive' is used to bring out a potential on Gebler soldiers, but it makes them insane! To think you would use it to fight against Fei when you don't want to. I know what the real you is like. After all, we've been best friends since we were little kids together. We spent that time together in a cave, sharing everything we know ourselves. But, look at what we're doing at this moment! What you've become when you use the 'Drive', that's not the real you! I know you better than anyone. You're my best friend! If you have the courage to snap out of this, then lend your power to me and my friends! It is not too late for you!"

"You talk as if you would know, yet you know nothing!" Elly stated as she sends a kick to her gut, throwing her from a distance by the wall of the canyon, having found where the real Nami is.

"Right. I forgot. Even under the influence of the 'Drive', there is still the same Elly. You do not listen to my advice!" Nami exclaimed.

"Nami, isn't it? Is that what she called you? You don't have to do this!" Fei protested. "It's me she wants to kill because it's her duty to show earth dwelling 'Lambs' like me of their place, so let me handle this!"

"I got a better idea. Let's handle this together. We both know what the real Elly is like. She wouldn't want to hurt us or kill us, for that matter. What do you say?"

"Yeah, I agree. Two heads are better than one..."

"Right. I just met her, so she's already bothering me for resurrecting that bad childhood memory."

"Okay..."

"Finish it? As soon as these Lambs commit insubordination, I'll never find peace! I'm the one who's sick of all these disobedience from them!" Elly demanded with outrage.

"That's enough. How do you think I feel when I see this drugged face again from ten years ago? A stupid face like that shouldn't exist in this world," Nami said in a deadly way.

"I agree with you on that one, Nami," the man added.

"If you don't wanna see it, then I shall put you out of your misery now! Fear not! In return for treating me so kindly, I will kill both of you painlessly. Farewell, Fei, and you too, Nami," the Gebler soldier readies her rod and pointing it at their direction.

"Not if I can say anything about that..." the navigator readies her Clima-Tact, pointing it at her direction.

The two long-time friends charge at each other with their weapons, rod and staff, locked on one another. Fei then attacks by trying to make a punch at Elly, but she dodges that. Next, Nami has her weapon charging with electricity on its end.

"Thunder Charge! Swing Arm!"

Not only that, but also she twirls the piece on its connecting socket with the rest of her staff. She swings this to the Gebler soldier, but the latter dodges this by jumping into the air.

"Fei, now!" Nami exclaimed.

Fei nodded as he jumps into the air and lands a punch to Elly's face.

"Sorry, Elly, but this is for your own good!"

He grabs her by her ankles, then he tosses her down to the ground as he landed with Nami behind him.

"You two think this is over? You think wrong!" Elly got up and pulls out another rod for her to use. To make this even, Nami pulls out a piece of her staff to make it even. The former makes the attacks on the latter, along with Fei, but she blocks them. After a few seconds of trading blows, Elly is about to send a kick when Fei punches her to stop this. Once that is done, he gets a hold of her.

"Here's your chance, Nami!" he exclaimed.

Nodding at this, the navigator pulls her next trick as a dark cloud is hovering on the soldier.

"Is that... a cloud?" Elly is puzzled by this.

"Now, get out of here, Fei!" Nami exclaimed and he follows her order by leaving the area that is covered by the cloud. "Thunderbolt Tempo!"

She throws a small speck of lightning to the dark cloud and a large amount of lightning strikes down at the drugged soldier, electrocuting her.

Despite of the damage that has been done to her, Elly is still standing.

"Is that all you can do? I'm still standing! Prepare to die, you two!"

Before she could make an attack with her rod, she suddenly felt pain on her head is in pain so she grabs it with her two hands, dropping her weapon.

"Uhh! Aagh... Ah... M-my head..."

"I think the effects of the drug are wearing off," Nami stated.

"I was thinking the same thing," Fei added. "I'll handle the next part."

"Okay, go ahead," was the reply while she puts back the peace of her weapon.

He tackles Elly down to the ground.

"Elly! Wake up and snap out of it!" he begged.

"That's right! Listen to him!" Nami exclaimed.

"Ugh... Silence! Impertinent fools! I will not listen to Lambs..." Elly is still drugged, but shows signs of fighting the effects. "That's... not... true... I... No... I... don't want this... Guh!"

"You're right, Nami. The effects of the drug are wearing off," Fei realized.

"Sh-Shut up! I've no need for outward appearances of compassion..."

"Then you don't have to," Nami said with bitterness, turning Elly's attention to her. "Let me tell you something. We're the same. When I first joined Luffy's crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, I look compassionate outside, but inside, I was only using him for what he's worth before leaving. As time goes by, I feel like I'm part of his crew when I joined him. Eventually, I betrayed the crew, and went off on my own. I thought I was happy of ditching them like that with their ship, Going Merry. However, when I'm alone, I broke down and cried. So, I gave them their ship back, they easily forgave me for betraying them, and I decided stay with them as part of their crew for the rest of my life."

As the Straw Hats saw that, they broke down in tears, never forgetting that moment regarding her.

"Nami..." Luffy cried.

"Even though she betrayed us back there, I still like her!" Sanji exclaimed with tears.

Back on the fight...

"N... Nam... i... F... Fe... i... H-Help... Th-This... isn't... This isn't... me..." Elly is beginning to fight back from the influence of the 'Drive'.

"Hang in there, Elly! Don't let go of your true self!" Fei begged.

"I got a better idea," Nami drops her Perfect Clima-Tact as she stands on the edge of the canyon. "Elly, over here! I'm going to let myself fall off from this canyon!"

"WHAT?!" Usopp is against the idea.

"Nami, have you gone crazy?!" Chopper cried.

"Don't worry, Nami! I'll save you!" Sanji is about to make his move.

"No, just stay there, Sanji!" the navigator exclaimed.

"Why?!" the cook cried.

"I knew it," Robin muttered.

"Huh?"

"Nami has a plan to bring her friend back to her senses, and the way for her to do this is to get her to choose between her duty or her friend," the black-haired woman explained.

"So, what will she choose?" Sanji asked her.

"Watch and you'll see what I mean," Robin replied calmly.

"Now, Elly, which is more important to you; the mission to kill land dwellers if they commit insubordination or the friend you earned from childhood despite the fact that she is a land dweller, a Lamb?" Nami stated the decisions while putting her foot off the ground. "I know you're in there, Elly. I know the real you isn't a drugged, insane Gebler soldier I'm fighting against, but a gentle, strong old friend that I grow up with. Make your choice!"

She started to fall off the ledge.

Seeing this happening to her friend has caused Elly to have a tear come out of her eye. In fact, tears are starting to come out from both of her eyes from this moment.

"Nami!" she screamed.

Childhood memories started to flow into her mind. The times she spent with Nami. It includes sitting together in two chairs inside the cave where they first met smiling at each other, and the pinky swear they made together, signifying of their friendship.

This gives Elly the strength to fight off the influence of the 'Drive'. She got her true self back; the self that both Nami and Fei know of.

"Fei, let me go! I need to get Nami!" she exclaimed desperately.

"Right!" Fei agreed.

That is when he frees her from his grasp as she comes running to the ledge.

"Nami! NAMIIIIII!"

Just as Nami is about to fall, Elly grabs a hold of her hand, saving her life.

"Nami!" she cried.

"Elly!" the redhead pirate smiled at her decision, and her friend smiled back at her decision to save her life.

Suddenly, the edge broke and the two started falling down from the canyon.

"NAMI!" the Straw Hat Pirates exclaimed.

"ELLY!" Fei exclaimed.

"Let's go look for them!" Luffy shouted on his next move.

"Right!" the man agreed to it.


	3. Reconciliation

As for where the two redheads are...

"Nami, Nami!" Elly exclaimed to her injured friend.

"Elly..." Nami got up from the ground.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"Thank goodness."

"Our fall was cushioned by the soft clouds."

In fact, they're now below the canyon and still alive.

"It seems like it," Elly said while looking at where they are now.

"Elly, you got your true self back," Nami stated. "You chose me over your mission."

"Yes, I did, Nami. You're the first land dweller friend I could ever have."

"I have something I want to say to you, Elly."

"Me too, Nami. I also have something..."

It was then that tears started to well up in both of their eyes and run down to their cheeks. Remorse came to both of them, feeling bad on how they acted this afternoon. They approach each other closely as they were about to say what they wanted to say.

"I'm sorry!" both girls said altogether. "I'm so sorry!"

Then, they have their hands touched with one another; Elly's with her right hand, and Nami's with her left hand.

"I didn't know what I should do. I lost my temper because..." the latter confessed regretfully.

"I know. This is all my fault," the former added with the same expression. "I shouldn't have taken the 'Drive'. When I use it, it felt deep down like you were so far away, and..."

"Me too..." Nami added. "Thinking about that bad childhood memory was so sad, lonely, and painful!"

"I know! I'm so sorry for bringing that up on our reunion!" Elly added with remorse and pain on her expression. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Nami puts up a sad smile as she hugged her.

"Of course I forgive you, Elly. We're best friends."

"Best friends forever," the Gebler soldier added while hugging her back. "Nami, thank you so much."

The two let go of the hug and wiped off the tears from their eyes. They started climbing at the top of the canyon together. Speaking of that, their hands are held together.

"Nami, we're true friends, right?" Elly questioned.

"Of course, we're true friends!" Nami smiled to this.

As for the Straw Hats and Fei are searching from above to look for them, they noticed the two women climbing back up to the canyon.

"Nami!" the crew started running to their redheaded companion.

"Elly!" Fei joined in to approach the Gebler soldier.

"Are you okay?" Sanji asked with concern.

"Yes, I'm okay," Nami replied.

"Elly, are you okay?" Fei looks concerned.

"Yes, I'm okay, Fei," Elly replied.

"That was a very risky move you did, Nami," Fei is a little upset of the idea.

"I'm testing out which is more important to her so that she can be free from the effects of that drug, and she chooses friendship over her job," the redhead navigator explained while she and her friend wipe the tears off from their eyes.

"That explains it..." the young man shifts his focus to the other female. "Elly, why...?"

"Yeah, that's right! What the hell were you thinking?!" Nami demanded.

"I warned you both. I said the next time we met we'd be... enemies," Elly said with regret.

"But, there's no reason for you to do this to yourself just so you can fight. There's no reason for you and I to fight. None at all," Fei stated.

"Yeah! Just what the hell do you think you're doing bringing up that bad childhood memory?!" Nami said in a scolding tone.

"Look, I'm sorry. Both of you, really," the soldier replied to the two. "There... was no other choice. I'm a Solaris officer. I can't turn my back on my unit, the mission..."

"Here we go again with that excuse!" her friend exclaimed with dismay.

"Why did you have to use the 'Drive'?" Fei asked.

"I didn't want to... When I use it, I change. I feel like I'm dominated by some unknown power that I never wanted. There's a power in me I don't want to admit. But, I want to protect my allies, so I had no choice but to use... the 'Drive'," Elly explained. It was then that Nami punched the top of her head, and it didn't look like a light punch.

"You deserved it! The next time you bring up that memory, I'll hit you even harder!" Nami said, and clenched her fist.

"But you'll just crack my head open!" the redhead soldier cried while holding her hands to her head in pain.

"Hey, you don't have to get so angry about it. I mean, it's not like she hurt herself or anything," Fei commented.

"Just shut up, Fei! You got no business lecturing me about the best way to teach Elly a lesson!" the redhead pirate argued.

"I wasn't lecturing you! I was just... Ah, forget it," Fei realized he got nothing else to add to that argument.

"Look, I'm sorry for this, Elly," Nami rubs her friend's head. "It's just that I don't want you replaying that bad memory from ten years ago."

"No, it's okay, Nami," Elly feels comfortable with her head being rubbed before the pirate lets that go. "I'm the one who should be apologizing for starting that up."

"Nami, you said you had a bad childhood memory of Elly taking the 'Drive'," the man asked Nami. "You mean you saw this before?"

"That's right. That was a long time ago when we were kids..."

She narrates the story of how she got bullied years ago. Elly got mad at this, and uses the 'Drive' to kill them. Nami saw everything and called for her. Upon hearing her voice and her name being called, Elly snapped out of the drug's influence and saw blood on her hands. When Nami called for her, she ran away instead.

This is one bad childhood memory for her.

"Since then, I swore to beat the crap out of Elly if she thinks about using the 'Drive' once more, and that's when you saw me attacking her mecha before we confront her in person together," Nami finishes her story.

"I see," Fei turns his attention to her friend. "Elly, you're the same as me."

"Me, too," Nami joined in.

"The same? Probably... I felt I knew you ever since I first met you. Probably because our problems were so similar. As for you, Nami, you're right about the fact that two of us are the same," the soldier stated.

"I'm here for you. It may not be much, but at least I can relate to how you feel, Elly," Fei continued.

"What? Are you saying we lick each other's wounds?"

"Well, I guess I am... Sorry..." the young man apologized.

"...I'm sorry. I'm not being fair, am I?" Elly apologized as well, while she looks down.

"No, I'm just pessimistic sometimes. But... even so, it's better than worrying about it by yourself."

"Fei..."

"You won't change your mind?" Fei said, looking so sad.

"Elly, I know what Fei's thinking in his head right now. I also recommend you should leave the Gebler army," Nami said as if she can read his mind, looking sad as well.

"Wait. How did you know about this?" Fei looks surprised on her statement.

"Lucky guess. I've been thinking of giving out this recommendation just in case Elly has joined the army," was the reply.

"Please, don't look so sad. Both of you. I have no choice. It is my only home," her friend said, gently turning down their expectation.

"Elly..."

"Huh?"

Nami angrily sends a slap from her right hand, hitting Elly's left cheek.

"Cut the 'I have no choice' crap! Of course you have a choice! You're just too scared to admit that! If you think you can't leave the military just because that's your only home, think again! I'll help you live your life! Isn't that the promise we made to each other when we were kids?"

A flashback has occurred Elly's mind as she thought about this promise.

_"Elly..." a young Nami called._

_"What is it, Nami?" a young Elly asked._

_"If each of us don't have nowhere to go, let's live our life together."_

_"I don't know..."_

_"Promise?" Nami reveals her pinky._

_"Promise," Elly replies by binding their pinkies together as their promise was sealed._

The flashback is over, and the two are back to reality.

"Yes, I never forget about that," Elly replied, causing her reconsider their expectation. "For now, I'll think about it."

"I have to go. My 'friends' are waiting for me. If you can, get out of the army, Elly. That look doesn't suit you at all," Fei walks a few inches to his mecha before talking to Elly about this. He turns to Nami for a favor. "Nami, take care of Elly for me."

"Hey, don't worry about that, Fei," the redhead navigator said in assurance, while putting her arm to her friend's shoulders. "We're childhood friends."

"Yes, you two are," the young man leaves on his mecha, but not before putting up a smile to the two redheads.

After he leaves, Nami takes a glare at her friend's squad, and they make a retreat after seeing of how well she handled their leader. This is quite a satisfactory for her.

"Nami!" Luffy cried as the rest of his crew approach them.

"Elly, these are my friends, the Straw Hat Pirates," Nami introduced her friend to them. "Say hello."

"Hello," Elly greeted while blushing.

One by one, she is introduced to each other member and got to know their attributes. Introductions include Luffy as the captain, Sanji as the cook, and Brook as the musician. As for Brook, he got punched in the face by Nami for asking Elly if he could look at her panties. For her, Elly feels like she's at home with them, and Nami feels appreciated by that, hoping that her and Fei's wish for her to leave the army would succeed.


	4. Comfort

Nami and Elly are taking a walk together in some forest. It's not just any forest; it's the same forest they first met when they were little kids. Behind them are the Straw Hat Pirates joining up with them.

"I got to say, Elly. This is the same forest where we first met," the former said with a smile.

"Yes, it is, Nami," the latter replied with a smile as well.

"To think those two are such good friends when they were kids," Luffy muttered while putting his hands behind his head.

"It's a good thing Nami has earned a friend in someone who belongs up high," Robin said with a smile.

"You know Solaris?"

"Yup, I was studying on it for quite some time."

They checked out the cave the two redhead friends used to spend their time together on that night, and much to their relief, it's still quite as good.

"Nami, I request we spend the night together in the same spot where we first hung out," Elly suggested.

"Yeah, I think we should. Luckily, our ship is parked next to the forest so I suggest we got what we needed for the night in this cave," her friend replied.

* * *

That night inside the cave, the Straw Hat Pirates are having their dinner. While this is going on, they have conversations which Elly joined in as well. After all, she is their guest. After dinner, Nami and Elly are in a hot spring together they found inside.

"I got to say the best thing we did together is taking a dip to the hot spring. After all, it's better than having to take a shower, but I still take showers," Nami commented.

"I see..." Elly understood.

"So, what do you want most: taking hot springs or showers?"

"I like taking showers, but from time to time, I like going to hot springs."

"Good one."

"So, about your pirate career, does it involve treasure hunting?" Elly asked the question.

"Yeah, I think so. In fact, I love treasures so much," Nami replied.

"Obviously."

"Yeah..."

"How's your parents up there in the stars?" the navigator asked while looking above, even though they're not outside.

"They're doing fine," was the reply, then apologized. "Oh, Nami, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for turning our reunion bitter when I was under the influence of the 'Drive'!"

The best response for her friend could do is hug her.

"It's alright, Elly. I know you didn't mean that. Like Fei, I know you better," Nami said in comfort before picking a small rock and throwing it at a distance to be sure no one is watching them. "Did you catch on every detail we talked here, you peeping Toms?!"

Suddenly, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji arrived to see what is going on.

"Hey, what's with all the ruckus?" the captain asked.

Beating sounds are heard as the two redheads beat the three up for coming to them while they're naked. They all got lumps and black eyes from being beaten up.

"You three sure got a beat down," Chopper stated, then takes his drink.

"Why did they have to suspect me for?" Zoro muttered.

"At least it's a good sight to see those two taking that hot spring together," Sanji is in his fantasy world. "Nami, Elly... those two made good romances for me!"

"They sure were in deep conversation..." their captain added.

* * *

As soon as everyone is getting some sleep, Elly is the only one not asleep. In fact, the crew having sleeping bags to use for the night. She looked at her dear childhood friend sleeping peacefully, and considered of looking at her briefly before leaving the cave. However, a small piece of paper has been left by her hand.

She looks down while walking to the river nearby.

"Where are you going?" a voice is heard and she looked to see it's Robin. She continues her walk. "Is there somewhere you need to be?"

"That's none of your business, Robin," Elly stated.

"Actually, it is," the brunette countered. "I'm an archeologist, and I studied your country, Solaris. I studied everything about you Gebler soldiers, including how they forced others like you to use the 'Drive'. It may bring out true potential on the soldiers, but it makes them insane. If you think you could just leave without saying a word to Nami just because you felt remorse for trying to kill her while being under the effects of that drug, you're breaking her heart. She waited for all these years to be reunited with you, her very first friend. She already sees you as a great friend. Are you too blind to see that?"

"That's not how she sees me! Not after I tried to kill her because I was acting crazy from that drug!"

"You are a good friend, Elly!" Nami shows up to the two. "We live in that cave together, we share our meals together, we slept together on the same bed, and even we played together. Of course you're a good friend from my childhood."

The Gebler soldier is silent from this.

"Are you listening to what she's saying?" Robin touches her shoulder to see her having tears streaming down her face.

"But what I did was a terrible thing! To you, Nami, and to Fei..." Elly sobbed with remorse. "How can I stay here after what I did to you? You couldn't possibly want me around anymore!"

"Of course I do! If Fei were here, he would say the same thing. I wouldn't have wrote this if I didn't want to see you still," Nami shows her the paper she left on her hand and added a reply to it. "It said 'thank you for thinking about me', so I replied 'you're welcome, and I think about you, too'. Despite what happened this afternoon, you're still the same girl I met on this forest years ago. You're still my best friend. Besides, I promised Fei I would take care of you for him."

Elly is touched by how the girl she met when she was a kid still cares about her. It is good news for her. Upon hearing what Fei has promised her friend for, it's quite a relief. She drops to her knees as she puts her hands to her face, and cried more tears from her eyes. Nami kneels down to touch her shoulder with a smile on her face, lucky that she has a friend in her, despite the fact that she is not a Solarian citizen like her.

"I didn't take a bath," Robin muttered with a smile.

"Huh?" Nami turns to her.

"I was waiting for this moment to come before I start doing this. I want to join with you two."

"You what?"

"I mean, you two have become friends for so long when you were kids, while Nami and I are getting to know each other for months now. I want to get to know you, too, Elly. Therefore, taking a bath right now will help me get to know you."

"Well, that's nice of you to say that," Elly said as her tears died down.

"I think that's fair enough, Robin, and we can take a bath to this river here!" Nami pointed to the river and started to take off her clothes so that she can take her bath there. "I'll go in first! Last one there is a rotten egg!"

"Alright then!" Elly takes off the top of her Gebler uniform and that follows her pantyhose before running to the river. "I guess I'll go there in a second!"

"Hey, wait for me!" Robin exclaimed, taking her clothes off and run to the river as well.

It was then the three girls are having fun while taking their baths. For Nami and Elly, it is the best reunion they could ever have. Fei is watching this moment while hiding under a bush, and leaves with satisfactory between the two.


	5. Arriving to Solaris

The next day, the Straw Hat Pirates are going to Solaris for their next adventure. Of course, they would need Elly's help to go there since she knows her way around the place. Also, their ship has been taken as well. As they arrived, they find the gravity is upside down.

"What the heck?! We're going upside down!" Luffy exclaimed.

"That's the gravity of the place, Luffy," Nami replied. "If I know about this place, it would be dangerous to be in a large so I suggest we go to separate routes."

"Right, so I'll take two land dwellers with me there, while the others will be running an investigation," Elly said. "Nami, Robin, you two will come with me."

"Right!" the two pirates exclaimed while the ship is floating through a giant bubble is leaving the rest of the crew.

"I'd say the gravity of the situation is quite a twist," Robin said with a smile.

They went into some platform and knowing that going into tubes is one way to travel around the city. In fact, Nami went there before when she was kid.

"This is a great way to travel into this city, and I studied this subject," the archeologist stated.

"Since when did you study this place, Robin? I know of it when I traveled there as a kid," Nami asked.

"About two years ago..." was the reply.

The three women witnessed a slave citizen being grabbed by a security drone and dropped off to the edge of Solaris.

"We're in the 'Solaris 3rd Class F Block'. There's around 20 blocks each with land dwellers living in them. We Solarians are privy to all personal info... Everyone's DNA structure is inscribed on a molecular level. And even their class... You know what these citizens are called?" Elly explained.

"Worker Bees," her redhead friend replied.

"It came from the shape of their housing blocks. These people provide the manual labor vital to the support of Solaris' core. I took a field trip here once long ago. I remember thinking that their lives had nothing to do with me. I never thought I would end up here like this."

"Well, studying this place is quite interesting on my watch," Robin smiled.

"If we're going to explore, I have this 2nd class citizen permit. With this, we can move freely without arousing suspicion. Let's go."

With a guarding on the way to the entrance, it's not good.

"Watch this, you two," Robin stated as she crossed her arms with an 'X' shape on her chest. Two arms appeared from behind the guard and push him down to the edge of the city.

"Whoa, I'm impressed," Elly looks amazed by this. "How did she do this?"

"She ate a Devil Fruit known as the Hana Hana no Mi," Nami replied. "Devil Fruits will give anyone powers if they eat it."

As they entered the 2nd class block, she looks excited, especially that she went there before as a kid. Looking at every citizen of Solaris, they're all blond.

"Look at all these Solarians. They're all blond, but not you, Elly," Robin commented.

"At least we both have the same hair color," Nami muttered. "Can you believe this place is amazing, Robin?"

"Yes, I can believe it, Nami. I studied about it a lot."

They travel their way to another level of the city.

"This is the 1st Class citizen level. This is where the Solaris people called Gazel live. Follow me," Elly explained, as she leads the two women to some big house. "This is my home."

"Well, I've been there before," Nami stated, thinking back of this childhood memory.

As the three entered, two blond citizens, a man and a woman, noticed them.

"Mother, Father..." Elly stated.

"Elly! You're back home!" her parents cried as they hug her. The two let of the hug as they saw her childhood friend.

"Hello there, Mr. and Mrs. Van Houten!" Nami greeted, waving her hand to them.

"Nami... how you've grown up. Please, just call us our by our first names, Erich and Medina. After all, you're a good friend to the family and to my daughter, despite the fact you're a land dweller," Erich stated.

"Okay then..."

"Who's this?" Medina asked, turning to Robin.

"My name is Nico Robin, but call me Robin. I'm a good friend of Nami's," the black-haired woman replied.

The five walk their way to the living room as they discuss something.

"So you're not going to turn me in to the Solarian authorities?" Nami asked.

"No, of course not. Like I said, you're a good friend to the family and to my daughter, despite the fact you're a land dweller," Erich replied, and this puts Nami in relief. Then he pulls out a wanted poster of her that has a bounty on her for 16,000,000 berries. "Besides, you've made quite a good reputation."

"To tell you the truth, Erich, I'm not expected to be wanted. I thought this picture of me is supposed to be for a newspaper, but I was wrong. Having a bounty stinks, but that picture of me looks cute."

"Yeah, it is cute on you, Nami! Especially that pose!" Medina exclaimed happily on the poster.

"Well, thank you for the complement, Medina," Nami muttered.

"Anyway, why don't you three go to Elly's room while I prepare lunch for you three to eat."

In Elly's room...

"I must say it's great to stay here, but I feel bored," Robin muttered at the surroundings of her room. It's almost as if there's nothing to do there.

"Good thing Elly and I have a secret passage here in case something like this occurs," Nami pulls out a painting to show an open passage. As she opens it, there are a lot of creativity items there like books, magazines, and games to use.

"Well, that's a lot of items you two got there."

"While waiting, why don't we do some creativity around here."


	6. The Straw Hat Pirates' Entry

Meanwhile, Luffy and the others are still trying to find a way to get inside Solaris without being noticed by the Gebler soldiers.

"Any ideas how to get there?" the captain asked.

"Well, how about we just drive through to the hangar where the Gebler parked their mechas are?" Zoro suggested.

"Good idea."

"What?! Are you crazy?!" Chopper asked.

Hearing this, Franky steers the wheel of the ship that ended up crashing into one of the parts of Solaris where the Gebler have their mechas parked.

"At least the ship didn't get a scratch," he commented.

Suddenly, two Gebler soldiers, both male blonds, arrive to see what just happened.

"What just happened?!" one of them asked.

"I don't know! Send backup now!" the other yelled at the radio.

Luffy jumps out of ship, and grabs the two by their heads to slam them at each other. Just then, a group of soldiers are coming to the hangar to do something about the commotion.

"Well, let's join the party," Sanji jumped out of the ship as well.

"I agree," Zoro did the same thing.

The two send their respective attacks, kicks and swords, respectively to the soldiers.

As they explore to this part of the city, two soldiers are about to shoot their enemies with their submachine guns after the other two soldiers got thrown off. One got thrown by Sanji's kick, while the other got thrown by Luffy's hand. Sensing their arrival, the two shoot their bullets, but luckily, Zoro defends Sanji and Luffy by spinning his swords like a circle to cut off the bullets that are heading on their direction. With ease, they approach the two, and Luffy grabs them and slams them to the top.

"Nice trick you just did. What do you do for an encore?" Franky arrives with a Gebler soldier on his arm before tossing him to a wall. Usopp and Chopper followed as well.

"Now what?" Usopp asked.

"We go to their vault and steal their treasure!" Luffy exclaimed.

He and his crew mates opened the vault by force, usually with Zoro cutting it down to pieces and seeing the treasure. Having obtained it, an alarm has been activated as more Gebler soldiers are coming to fight them. If that wasn't enough, they injected the 'Drive' on themselves to bring out their potential, but also making them insane.

"Well, that's not good with them using the 'Drive'," Sanji commented.

"So we'll just have to beat the crap out of them," Franky is about to put up a fight.

He charges at the two drugged soldiers and punches them. Zoro cuts them down in half with his swords, and Sanji sends kicks to throw them off. Usopp uses his giant slingshot, Kabuto, to make his smokescreen to escape from the Gebler.

"We need to call a hunt on those Straw Hat Pirates! Call all Gebler and locate them in this city!" one of the soldiers exclaimed.


	7. Lunch Time

In Elly's house, she and Nami are playing a board game that involves strategies with soldiers on each of their sides while Robin is reading a magazine by her bed.

"I win!" Nami exclaimed as she has one soldier knocked off, winning the game.

"How come you always win, Nami?" Elly asked.

"To tell you the truth, Elly, you may be good in battles, but not with the story."

Just then, Medina has entered the room to call them.

"Lunch is ready!" she exclaimed happily.

As the three girls went to the dining table, Medina prepared a bowl of spaghetti for them to eat, starting their meal.

"I got to admit your cooking is good, Medina," Nami complimented after taking a bite of her meal and drinks her water.

"Why, thank you, Nami," the woman replied with a smile.

"So, how did you two get reunited?" her husband asked, and Elly looks down.

"Erich, do you know about the 'Drive'?" Nami asked.

"Yes, Nami, it is a drug that gives Gebler soldiers power, but it makes them insane. Why?" Eric replied before he realized how did the two childhood friends got their reunion. "Wait. Did you two got into a fight when Elly used the 'Drive' on herself?"

"Yup, that's about it," was the reply. "The bright side is that I managed to get her true self back from that drug by threatening to let myself fall off a cliff."

"You just let yourself fall off a cliff? That's too dangerous!" Medina is in for a shock from the news.

"Like I said, to get her true self back from that drug," Nami takes a drink of water.

"You see, Mrs. Van Houten, your daughter will have to decide on which is more important to her; her mission or her friend. In the end, she chose her friend over her mission, breaking her free from the 'Drive'," Robin takes a bite from her spaghetti.

"Oh, Nami, I'm so sorry," Elly said as she is about to cry.

"Hey, don't worry about it, Elly," her friend touched her shoulder for comfort. "It's okay. I forgive you."

"Well, it's a very risky move you made, Nami, but it saved our daughter. Thank you. Despite the fact you're an earth dweller, a Lamb, you're a good friend to her," Erich stated.

After their meal is finished, Nami approaches Elly as she is doing something on her desk.

"Elly..."

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to spar with me?" the pirate asked.

"Spar with you?" her friend asked on the question.

"Yes, I believe this is a good way to start over. Leaving everything from the past behind. We should resolve our conflicts, right now."

Elly thought over with what Nami suggested on doing. After her thoughts, she nodded her head.

"Good," Nami said as she looks on the clock, and the time said it's 1:00 pm. "I suggest we do it on 3:00 pm."

Leaving the room to find some other way to do something else, she hopes that her other Straw Hat companions are doing alright in the city.


	8. Shopping

Meanwhile, the Straw Hat Pirates went to Level 1 of Solaris as they went into a hotel with the treasure they have stolen from the Gebler.

"This is where we should be staying for our adventure here," Luffy said as he is reading on his bed.

"Same here," Usopp also rested.

In fact, they're all sharing a penthouse apartment. Sanji is cooking up lunch for them to eat while Zoro is taking a walk to Solaris, usually with him getting lost. Brook is reading a magazine about girls in Solaris, especially with their Gebler uniforms. As for Franky, Usopp, Chopper, they're exploring the city.

* * *

Coincidentally, Nami, Robin, and Elly went out to do shopping together when a man with a red beard shows up in front of them.

"Are you three going shopping?" he asked.

"Renz..." Elly muttered.

"Who are you?" Nami asked with disdain.

"My name is Renz, and I'm one of the members of your friend's squad," was the reply.

"One of Elly's squadmates, huh? One of those mechas who ran away when I beat her up?"

"Yup, that's the one."

"Well, isn't this an unexpected twist?" Robin commented.

"Elly, can I talk to your friend here?" Renz asked his leader.

"Um, sure," was the reply.

Renz leads her by the alley of the city as his chat with the pirate begins.

"So, what do you want, Renz?" Nami asked. "Are you here to take revenge on me for beating up your leader?"

"No, I won't. I don't believe in revenge, anyway," the man replied as he holds up a wanted poster that has her picture. "So you're 'Cat Burglar' Nami, and you happen to be Elly's childhood friend."

"So what?"

"Like I said, I'm not going to do anything to you. To think you managed to hit her mecha, Vierge, with that weapon of yours. What is it?"

"It's the Perfect Clima-Tact, and with it, I can make weather."

"I see... Anyway, I'm not going to turn you in to the Gebler soldiers, especially when your captain just raised the alarm when he and his crew are stealing our treasure."

Hearing this statement just made Nami want to see them, especially with the treasure they just stole.

"I know you want to see this treasure," Renz can read what he sees in her eyes. "However, it's too dangerous to be in a large group, so I would keep an eye on them."

"Good, and make sure they don't spend all my treasure," Nami instructed.

"I will," was the reply before he left.

* * *

In the meantime, Brook is walking his way towards the city as he takes notice on a Solarian woman.

"Hey, my lady."

"Huh?" the woman asked.

"Can I see your panties?" the skeleton asked.

"Aah! A skeleton!" she runs away.

"Hey, that's one of the Straw Hats who break into our vault and stole our treasure!" one of the Gebler soldiers exclaimed within a group.

"Get him!" the other yelled.

They inject the 'Drive' on themselves while charging to them.

"So they used the 'Drive' on themselves to fight me. Well, they should know that drugs are bad," Brook pulls out his Soul Solid blade and slashes on them. "Three-Verse Humming: Arrow-Notch Slash!"

At first, they didn't feel the pain, but as soon as he sheathes the blade back, they feel the pain from being slashed and falls down the ground.

"Remember, Geblers, the 'Drive' is bad for your mind."

Brook continues his walk afterwards while swinging his cane in a circle.


	9. Sparring Match

By 3 pm outside of Elly's home by the backyard, she and Nami are about to start their sparring match, and her parents and Robin will be the audience.

"Um, what's the point of having a spar with each other if they already reconciled with what happened yesterday?" Medina asked.

"Maybe this is how they'll just forget about this little incident in their minds," Robin commented.

"I concur with her," Erich agreed.

"Remember, no holding back, Elly," Nami said, making a pose with her Perfect Clima-Tact.

"Same thing I would say to you, Nami," Elly readies her rod.

The two redheads charge at each other with their weapons locked. They started exchanging blows.

"If I didn't know any better, those two have quite the fighting ability," Erich commented.

"I don't care who wins this battle. Just play fair, you two!" Medina exclaimed with concern.

"Let's see how would you like this. Thunder Charge! Swing Arm!" Nami has her Clima-Tact charged with electricity and twirled the piece of its connecting socket with the rest of her staff to hit Elly with it, but the Gebler soldier jumped out of the way to dodge this.

"Now, it's your turn to see if you can dodge this!"

Elly charges to send a somersault kick to the pirate girl's face before landing to the ground.

"I got to say, Mr. Van Houten," Robin said. "Your daughter is quite skilled with her usage of rods."

"Thankful of you to say that, Robin," Erich added. "I got to say Nami is quite skilled with her usage of the Clima-Tact."

Next, Elly pulled out two rods so Nami detached one piece of the bo-staff. Then they exchange blows.

"Let's get this over with," the latter said with her weapon charging with electricity and the former did the same with her weapon as well.

"Agreed."

The two charged, and their attacks hit each other, knocking them down to the ground.

"Girls!" Medina exclaimed in distress as she, Robin, and Erich rush to them in concern. "Are you okay?"

Nami and Elly took deep breaths afterwards.

"Yes, we're fine, Mother," the latter reassured with a smile. "You know, I feel at peace now."

"Same here," the former replied with the same emotion.

The three are happy to see this moment between them coming by as the two redheads help each other get up from the ground like all best friends do.

"Um, listen, Nami," Elly started. "I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you, Elly. We're best friends," Nami replied with a smile and give her a big hug which she returns it.

Then, the two have their index and middle fingers collide, as if this is a seal of reconciliation between them. A memory played in their minds as a young Nami comforted the young Elly from her murder of the bullies, and despite of what she had done with blood on her hands, they could still be best friends. They started their own seal of reconciliation and smiled.

As this memory played on their hands, it switches another memory of their fight yesterday, and how they reconciled from this. Suddenly, the bad parts of those memories like their fight vanished from their minds.

"What?! They erased those memories?!" Erich looks surprised.

"Well, only some bad parts like their fight from yesterday," Robin replied calmly with a smile.

"Amazing."

"Now that you two have make up, smile to the camera!" Medina pulls out a camera to take a picture on the two.

Nami and Elly make a good pose together with the former raising her right arm and the latter raising her left arm.

The photo is taken.

It is placed to the photos of the family household next to the picture of them as kids.

"How about we go on a family outing to the museum?" Medina smiled.

"Yes, we love to, Mother," Elly agreed.

This is going to be the best day for her and her childhood friend.


	10. Fei I

Meanwhile, on Earth, Fei is battling against Rico, a demi-human, and is sent to recovery after being defeated by him. He is resting in a room at D-Block to recover from his injuries. He looked up in the roof as he pondered on the aftermath of the fight by the canyon.

"I wonder how Nami's taking care of Elly in Solaris. She sure is one special girl, especially with that poster."

He went for the pocket of his pants to see the wanted poster of Elly's childhood friend and observes the picture.

"She may be a wanted criminal, but she's a good person at heart. Heck, her friends are like that, too. Just when will I see those two again?"


	11. Arlong Returns

Back in Solaris, Nami and Robin are in a museum with Elly and her parents to have a look at some artifacts. It's not just any museum; it's the Solarian Museum of National History. For the former, she is annoyed of how the guard is speaking in some strange language while walking with the group.

"All the museums in all the world, and I got stuck to one where the guard is speaking Solarian!"

"I thought you said you've been here before," Robin commented.

"Well, Robin, the truth is, I've been to Solaris as a kid before, but I barely learned their language."

"Look at the bright side, Nami. You got me and my parents to help you translate of what they're going to say," Elly said while putting her hand to her friend's shoulder.

"I also know about their language because I studied this country before," Robin added.

She stopped walking when she comes across a painting of Sophia, the 'Holy Mother'. Upon looking at it, she becomes suspicious due to a connection with Elly as she faces her.

_No doubt about it. Elly is the reincarnation of Sophia. Then again, one of the rules regarding reincarnation is that the person has no memories of his/her previous life,_ she thought.

"I see you've been looking at this painting," Erich approached her. "Nico Robin, isn't it? The archeologist of the Straw Hat Pirates? I'd like to speak with you privately."

"Sure, Mr. Van Houten," Robin agreed.

The two walked to a hallway where the people could not see their conversation.

"Robin, Medena and I have been wondering about our daughter. She's quite different from other Solarians, including us, because she has red hair instead of blonde, and her eyes are blue-violet instead of blue. Come to think of it, there are times she even think she's just our stepchild and that her mother is a redhead nanny," Erich explained.

"Here's a good explanation I can come up with, Mr. Van Houten. It's plausible because red hair works genetically allows for blonds to be recessive for it, and that she is the reincarnation of the person by that painting," the archeologist explained.

"That's what I'm thinking as well."

"Me too," Nami arrived to them.

"Nami, you heard this?" Erich demanded.

"I've been here before when Elly and I were eight years old, and what Robin said is exactly what I'm thinking as well when I saw that painting. Then again, it's mostly common for people who were reincarnated not to have memories of their previous lives."

"Then, you two mustn't tell Elly about this until she regained her memories," the blond man urged.

"Sure thing, sir," Nami agreed.

"Agreed," Robin added.

The three went back to the group when the guard stopped walking as he showed the exhibit of some golden staff that has a red diamond, and Nami looked at her to know what is he saying, so she translates on the dialogue.

"He said, 'This is the staff of Adolf. It is said to be the most powerful staff found in Earth, and it possesses unlimited power. The diamond is rare because it is made from a material from the planet known as Lilart. This staff happens to possess powers like energy zapping, levitation, telekinesis, and invulnerability.'"

"This is why I'm going to steal it!" a sinister voice said, and as the people looked on who said it, it's Arlong and the rest of his Fishman Pirates. Luckily, Hatchan is not part of that crew anymore.

"Not him again!" Nami is in dismayed as she noticed her archenemy has returned, but she gives out a grin. "On the bright side, this could relief my boredom from hearing that Solarian language."

She appears to strike one of them with her Perfect Clima-Tact.

"Arlong..." she muttered.

"Ah, Nami, good to see you," the evil Fishman said with an evil grin. "I never I'd see you again in this place."

"So, how did you get out of prison?"

"Simple. I had my backup Fishman crew break me out, and now that I'm back, it's time I take back on the time I lost to you and your friends."

Arlong attempted to stab Nami with his nose, which she dodges that and jumps out of the way. She proceeds to dodge this attack four times.

"Hey, leave my friend alone!" Elly runs up to Arlong and sends a somersault kick to his face. She turns to the redheaded pirate. "Nami, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Nami replied back.

"Ah, Elhaym, I never forgot about you," Arlong smirked after recovering from the hit. "Well, think you two can fight this off?"

With a snap of his fingers, the two redheads are surrounded with an army of Fishmen.

"Nami... Elly..." Medena looks worried.

"Don't worry about them, Mrs. Van Houten. They can take care of themselves. After all, childhood friends always watch each other's backs. Also, I'll protect you two," Robin assured as she saw one Fishman coming to her from behind, so she puts her arms in an 'x' shape for an attack. "Ocho Fleur: Flip!"

With this, she uses a pair of arms to knock the foe backwards, and another pair of arms just pulls him to the ground. Just then, another pair is making an attack.

"Clutch!"

This power causes her hands to grow out of her opponents back, these hands clasp the targets chin simultaneously pulling the head back and breaking the targets neck.

"Ready, Elly?" Nami asked.

"Ready, Nami," Elly replied back as she pulls out a rod.

The two then fought the Fishman Pirates. Nami makes use of the Swing Arm function of her weapon after yelling Thunder Charge, and hits some of the crew. Elly hits one Fishman with her rod, does a somersault kick, and jumps into the air as she pulls out another rod, and twirls them in circles to hit the others.

That is the first batch.

For the second batch, Nami summoned a dark cloud above the Fishmen.

"Here comes my Thunderbolt Tempo!" she exclaimed as she throws a speck of light to the cloud, and lightning bolts struck them down.

As for Elly, she hits one of them with her rod before doing a prayer that a large amount of electricity appeared on her weapon.

"Now, this is my Anemo Zap!" she exclaimed as she swings it two times, hitting the other Fishmen in the process.

"Very good, you two," Arlong clapped his hands as more Fishmen appeared. "Too bad there's more."

"This is bad!" Elly exclaimed.

"I know! It is too many!" Nami exclaimed as well.

"Perhaps, you need help, Namizou!" a woman's voice stated.

"Huh?"

A large woman with pink hair appeared from out of nowhere and slashed some Fishmen with her two swords.

"Lola!" Nami exclaimed the name of the rescuer.

"Don't forget about me!" another woman said as she swings a sharp jewel from a wire towards the villainous group.

"Vivi!"

"It's good to see you again, Namizou!" Lola said happily.

"Namizou?" Elly looks confused on what she called her childhood friend.

"It's a long story," Nami replied. "Lola, Vivi, this is my best friend from childhood, Elly. Elly, this is Lola and Vivi."

"Nice to meet you two," the Gebler soldier greeted.

"Same here," Lola and Vivi said together.

"What are you two doing here? And how did you get in here?" Nami questioned.

"Well, we found some spare parts on how we made a rocket to launch ourselves here," Vivi replied.

"As for our reason to be here, we saw your fight with this girl, and we're kinda curious about this Solaris thing," Lola added. "To think you have a Gebler soldier as a childhood friend."

"Well, fate tells us to meet with each other," Nami stated sheepishly while rubbing the back of her head.

"Nami! Elly!" Medena runs to the two redheads with her husband and Robin following up. "Are you two okay?"

"Yes, we're okay, Mother," her daughter replied back.

Both Erich and Medena stared at Lola and Vivi.

"Oh, and this is Lola and Vivi. They're friends," Nami explained.

"I see... So you've made friends from place to place, Nami. I'm impressed," Erich stated.

"This isn't over yet, Nami! And you too, Elly!" Arlong stated sinisterly as he got a hold of the staff. "We'll meet again!"

He left the museum with his crew.

"This is quite unexpected," the redhead navigator muttered.

Suddenly, the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates arrive with them ready to fight.

"Alright, where's the trouble?!" Luffy demanded.

"You missed it," Nami replied with an amusing smile.

The rest went outside the museum as he couldn't believe of what just happened.

"You girls took out Arlong's goons?" Luffy asked with surprise.

"Yes, we did," Nami replied.

Suddenly, she stopped walking and Elly takes notice on this.

"Nami, why are you stopping?" the latter asked.

"I've been thinking, Elly. If you can't leave this place because it's your only home, then just leave the military," the former said with her arms crossed.

"Like I said, I'll think about that. For now, I just want to spend some time with an old friend from ten years ago."

"I want the same thing as well."

The two best friends hold each other's hands as they continue to walk on the mansion.


	12. Berserk Button

As soon as the girls, including Lola and Vivi, went back to Elly's mansion while the Straw Hat Pirates went back to their hotel room, Nami has successfully got the treasure she hoped to gain from Solaris. In fact, she is carrying it by using a wheelbarrow.

"This treasure from Solaris is so beautiful!" she exclaimed happily.

"That's our Nami," Elly muttered with nervousness and from Lola and Vivi. She is aware that her friend is obsessed with treasures and that she is quite greedy. Nevertheless, she's a good friend. In fact...

"Here's some for you, Elly," Nami fills a small bag of golden coins and toss it to her.

"Really?"

"Yes, really?"

Luckily, Nami is quite charitable when it comes to Elly herself.

"Nami is quite charitable," Vivi looked surprised from this.

"I remember the time she gave some of the treasure she's going to get to me," Lola recalled on the events.

"That's very nice of her, especially when she has a Gebler soldier for a childhood friend," Robin smiled.

Suddenly, two female Solarian citizens walked past the house.

"I just heard a rumor," one said.

"What rumor?" the other asked.

"I hear the Solarian citizen with red hair and blue-violet eyes named Elhaym got beaten by a land dweller that goes by the name of Nami. Come to think of it, I think they're both cowards. Maybe that's why the former is taking the 'Drive', while the latter is going berserk by triggering a bad childhood memory of that kind of incident something. In fact, that pirate couldn't even snapped that Gebler soldier from such drug by just falling from a canyon!"

While she laughed on what she heard, Nami is getting infuriated that her eyes turned back and a red cross-popping vein appeared on her forehead. Talking about the fact of Elly when it comes to the 'Drive' is what triggers her anger. In fact, this angers Nami so much that she pins the girl to the gate of the mansion with her left hand while making a fist with her right hand.

"Wh-What are you doing?! Cut it out, you fool!" the Solarian citizen pleaded while her friend watched with shock on her face. She croaked with the pirate girl's hand is holding her throat tightly. "I'm a noble of Solaris, land dweller! Stop it! I'm gonna be killed!"

"What was that joke you made, so lightheartedly?!" Nami asked with anger before letting go of the Solarian woman.

"You!" the latter immediately recognizes her. "You're that girl!"

"Yes, I'm that girl you talked about. 'Couldn't even snapped that Gebler soldier from such drug by just falling from a canyon'! Now, listen to me, you worthless Solarian crap!" the pirate girl then points the end of her Perfect Clima-Tact to the citizen's head. "I got a specific set of skills. Skills I've acquired over my career as a pirate. If you don't talk about this incident again, that will be the end of it, but if you do, I will electrocute you with my Clima Tact so hard you're going to be in hospital for weeks, or even months!"

"Okay, I'm sorry!" the Solarian citizen runs away with her friend. "I'm so sorry!"

"There. That ought to teach her a lesson for talking about that incident," Nami calmed down after seeing the two running away.

"Wow, that is so scary of Nami," Vivi commented, then turns to Elly. "Elly, what does she mean by 'this incident'?"

"Vivi, Lola, come inside. I'll talk to you two about this," the latter instructed the two women as they got inside her home.

"So, have you calmed down, Nami?" Robin asked as the redheaded pirate went to the yard.

"Yes, Robin. I calmed down," was the reply.

"So that's another thing you get angry besides spending your money without consulting you."

"Let's go inside and relax."

* * *

Inside the mansion, Elly talked to Lola and Vivi of what had happened between them ten years ago involving her taking the 'Drive' to kill the bullies that bothered Nami. She was unaware the latter witnessed of what she did. This incident has resulted in Nami gaining a bad childhood memory of it, and swearing to beat Elly up if she caught her taking the 'Drive' again, which she just did on that canyon when she was fighting Fei under its influence.

This surprises the two girls so much that Lola dropped her cup of tea.

"No way!" she exclaimed.

"If what you're say is true..." Vivi tried to calm down after drinking a cup of tea.

"I swear I didn't know she's watching what I just did with Fei like those years ago, triggering that memory so that she could fight me as well," Elly said with regret while putting her cup of tea.

While walking to the living room, Nami and Robin walked by to hear this conversation so they hid themselves on the walls outside the room.

"I regret ever taking the 'Drive'. It only brought bad memories on Nami and Fei. Although they don't share any hard feelings on me for trying to kill them while I was under the influence of the 'Drive', I don't know if that can be enough," Elly continued on with regret as she places her hands on her face, and tears began to run down from her eyes down to her cheeks. She's crying with remorse once again. "All I want is to be forgiven."

Just then, a hand is placed on her shoulder.

"How can we do that if you won't do it yourself?" a voice said.

Elly turns around to see Nami said it and she is putting her hand to her shoulder. Feeling comfort from this and with tears in her eyes, she threw her arms around her best friend, giving the biggest hug she could have. Of course, Nami returned the embrace.

"Thank you, Nami! Thank you!" the Gebler soldier said happily.

"No problem, Elly," her pirate friend said as the two let of the hug and she wipes off her tears. "Come on. Stop crying. It's okay, Elly. Like Fei, I know the real you isn't when using the 'Drive', but the person that is quite considerate and compassionate. In other, just be yourself."

"That's what we wanted to hear," Erich arrived with Medena to see the moment. "You're a land dweller, a Lamb, Nami, but you're a good friend so you're lucky I'm not going to tell the guards on you for what you did outside our home."

"Hey, now that's all cleared up, let's go have fun at this amusement park," his wife suggested.

"Good idea, mother," Elly agreed so they went outside to do their errands.

The gang split up with her and Nami going in arcade games while Robin watches them happily. Vivi and Lola have a sparring match on their very own, and Eric and Medena are buying things Nami needed before she went back to the planet's surface.

All is going well so far.


	13. Arlong's Conspirator

Meanwhile on some mysterious location, Arlong is talking with his mysterious conspirator about what happened.

"So, that Gebler soldier and her childhood friend to stop you?" the latter asked.

"Yes, they did, but I got the staff like you requested," was the reply with a smug expression.

"Good, keep that. You deserve this reward. In fact, you're going to be strong enough to take those two on."

"Yes, that's what I'm thinking of. I'm going to see to that."

"Take your battle someplace on Earth instead in this flying city. It would be unwise to bring up casualties in here."

"Okay, whatever you say... Miang."

Upon hearing that name, his conspirator comes out of shadow. It's a woman with short purple hair, and is wearing a green and white long-sleeved minidress with a complex design and cape, green pantyhose, and green and white light boots.

She smirked with her plan going well so far.


	14. Fei II

Meanwhile, on Earth, Fei is telling Citan his story on how he fought Elly when she used the 'Drive' on herself to start the fight. Luckily, he ended up getting help from Nami, a Straw Hat Pirate who has history with Elly. Together, they successfully snapped her out of the drug's influence to get her true self back.

"That is... quite a story," the doctor remarked.

"I couldn't done that without Nami," Fei added.

"Speaking of her, is someone named Roronoa Zoro present?"

It was then that Citan pulled out a wanted poster of a moss-haired man with a bounty of 120,000,000 beri.

"That's him! That's one of the guys Nami's with!" Fei replied.

"I see."

"Wait, you know Zoro?"

"Yup, he came at Lahan one time to look for a bounty on some guy. I never got the chance to repay my kindness. If I ever see him again, I'll give him my thanks. Also, I want a sparring match with him."

"Oh, okay."

Citan looked at the wanted poster with happiness on his face.

"I'll wait till you show your face to me again, Zoro."


	15. Nami and Elly vs Dominia

Back in Solaris, Nami and her childhood friend, Elly, are enjoying them their time in the carnival as they walked with cotton candy on their hands when...

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the outcast," a voice called on their attention.

"Oh no..." Elly said with dismay as she and Nami turned around to see who it is. It's a woman wearing red clothing and white hair.

"So you must be 'Cat Burglar' Nami, aren't you? My name is Dominia, and I'm an Element. Just so you know, that trash you're hanging out with was one of us," Dominia explained.

"Trash?" Elly looks hurt on what Dominia just called her as.

"Hey, leave her alone!" Nami defends her honor from the red Element.

"To think you have become friends with her, despite the fact you're just a Lamb," Dominia taunted.

"Listen to me, Dominia. Abel, Lamb... I don't care to know what is the conflict between these sides, but they're supposed to get along with each other, not for people in Earth to be bossed around by some people living outside Earth. When I first become friends with Elly, I have a dream; the dream for the people here and in Earth to be treated as equals. Through her, I hope to see this dream through to the end. If you got a problem with that, then you're not invited!" the navigator contradicted.

"You speak from the heart, Nami, but there's no way to make that dream of yours come true," Dominia proceed to get a slap on her face that is so strong that Nami is sent falling to the ground.

"Nami!" Elly cried as she approaches her friend before turning to the Element with an angry expression on her face. "Dominia..."

"Hmm?" the white-haired woman looks on the soldier's angry expression.

"Calling me an outcast is one thing, but hurting my best friend is one thing I won't tolerate from you!" Elly pulls out her rod, ready to put up a fight against the Element. She makes her first attack, but the latter blocked it with her materialized sword.

"If you want to fight me, so be it," Dominia stated after she stopped the block.

"I'll help you, Elly," Nami got up and has her Perfect Clima-Tact on her hands.

"Thank you, Nami. Let's watch each other's backs," the Gebler soldier is glad to see her friend is okay and ready to fight.

Dominia makes her move of sending a slash to the two redheads, but they dodged that out of the way. She jumps up high to where the latter is to land a strike, but the latter blocked it when they landed.

"Elly, now!" Nami called on her friend.

Nodding at this, the soldier prepares her Ether attack spell by first hitting the Element with her rod twice and a kick to her head. She summons a pack of moles from the ground to hit her enemy. Dominia dodges them quickly, especially the big mole.

"So that's what you call friendship," Dominia remarked on the two girls of their teamwork. "It won't beat me so easily."

She charges on the two and they exchange blows.

It's Nami's turn for her move.

"Thunder Charge!" she has her Clima-Tact's tip sparkling with electricity, then she twirls the piece. "Swing Arm!"

Noticing this, Dominia dodges that, but Nami jumps up high to hit her with the attack, electrocuting her in the process.

"Let's finish this together, Nami," Elly proposed.

"Same thing I'm thinking, Elly," Nami smiled at the idea.

The two have their weapons charge in readiness for the attack. The navigator prepares her attack as a dark cloud appeared behind Dominia and the Gebler soldier prepares another Ether attack spell.

"Thunder Lance Tempo!" Nami yelled.

"Aqua Frost!" Elly yelled.

As a result, Dominia got hit with a strong lightning to her chest as if she's pierced by it and spinning ice blades.

"So this is the power of teamwork," she remarked weakly.

"Also, friendship," Nami remarked with Elly by her side.

"I won't forget this!" Dominia said before leaving.

"Are you two okay?" Erich said while he and Medena run to the two.

"Yes, I think so, Father," Elly replied.

"Same here, Erich," Nami added.


	16. The Night

For the night, the Straw Hat Pirates are having a part at the carnival in Solaris. Usopp makes his musical number with the Solarian citizens dancing at it. Nami, Robin, Elly, her parents, Vivi, and Lola have arrived in the party as well, and as for their sitting arrangement, the two redheads are sitting together with Robin; the Van Houten couple sit with Vivi and Lola. Nami, Robin, and Elly make a toast of their own. As for the others, Sanji shows the audience of how he cooks up a meal for the party. First, he cuts down a cherry, adds some ingredients into a frying pan, puts them into a bigger pan, and covers it up with a cloth. After waiting, he made a tower of food, much to the citizens' amazement. Zoro went off drinking with two Solarian citizens large amounts of sake.

"Come on! Let's get the party started!" Luffy exclaimed happily to the people.

It is a good party, indeed.

* * *

After the party, Nami, Robin, Elly, and her parents went back to the Van Houten residence. As for Vivi and Lola, they went to live in an apartment somewhere in the city.

"I'm beat," the redheaded pirate looks tired as she stretched her arms.

"Me, too," her childhood friend added.

"It's time for me to take a shower."

Nami walked into the shower and as she went inside, her clothes automatically turned off and water come spraying towards her.

"I got to say, Elly. The technology in your country is impressive," Robin said while she and the Gebler soldier are watching her taking her shower. "A shower that automatically takes off someone's clothes when in it, and takes them back on after usage."

"You really think so?" Elly feels complicated.

"Yes, I think so. Then again, I studied your country, and this is one of the good study points I've seen."

While she takes her shower, Nami feels great and relaxed. She thought back on her childhood of while she stayed at Elly's country and one of her great experiences is taking a shower that takes her clothes off automatically when in use, and takes them back on to her after she's done with her shower. Once she's done, her clothes automatically return to her.

"This is a great shower," she complicated with a smile.

Once Robin and Elly are done taking their showers, it's time to go to bed. Being childhood friends, Nami and Elly are sharing a bed while Robin sleeps on a sleeping bag found in the closet.

"Nami..." Elly called out to her friend.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being my friend, despite you're an earth dwelling Lamb."

"It doesn't matter if I live on Earth, while you live in a floating continent. We're friends, and I want to make our friendship to prove that Lambs could get along with Solarians, not being subordinated," Nami added.

The two friends looked at each other with smiles on their faces. With their hands holding onto each other, they drifted to sleep happily.


	17. Not a Good Morning

The next morning, Nami and Elly are taking a shower and dress up to their respective clothes. The former takes notice on the latter wearing her Gebler uniform. They eat their breakfast of bacon and eggs. The former is having a good time with her meal, especially when it's cooked by the latter's mother.

"Ah, what a good meal!" the former exclaimed happily.

"You like Mother's cooking, don't you?" the latter asked.

"I like it, Elly. I remember those times when I visited Solaris ten years ago," Nami feels nostalgic of the food.

As for Robin, she's reading a newspaper and has finished her breakfast already. Luffy is present as he looked around on the surroundings of the mansion.

"Your friend's house looks amazing," the Straw Hat complimented.

"Well, if you live in the future, this is what your house could look like, Luffy," Nami said before taking a bite of her meal and drinking orange juice. As soon as she finished her meal, she looked at the wheelbarrow to see a few coins left. She wiggled her butt while searching for more coins.

"Here comes with that dance again..." Luffy commented. In fact, he never forgot the day he saw that movement from her back at Water 7.

"What happened to the pile of golden coins that were once there?" Nami asked with a sarcastic smile.

"Oh that? I spent it to buy a lot of meat and booze for the party," was his reply. All the while, Erich and Medena left the house, knowing there will be a confrontation.

This is one thing Nami won't tolerate.

"Spent it?" she dropped her sarcastic smile and changes her mood, looking angry. "YOU SPENT ALL OF MY MONEY?!"

"Everybody in Solaris looks really hungry," Luffy added.

Frustrated by this, Nami proceeds to bang her head to the dining table.

"How could you spent the treasure so much on food? There's hardly anything left!" she yelled once she's finished.

"Of course there isn't. Everyone in this floating country is really hungry, and they didn't go home till morning," Luffy explained with a smile. "It sure was fun, huh?"

Then, he laughed at this. Nami won't tolerate this any longer so she started beating him as sounds are heard outside the Van Houten residence.

"Well, it doesn't matter," Luffy added while being covered with bruises. "At least we have a good time."

"I just want to use the treasure to buy some souvenirs here before going back to Earth," Nami dropped to the floor and sobbed. "Is that so wrong?"

"Don't cry, Nami," Elly approached the girl and put her hand to her shoulder for comfort. "You can borrow my money."

"Hey, can I have some money to play with?" Luffy asked like an idiot.

Nami won't tolerate this any longer with her captain spending so much of her money.

"I'D BETTER TAKE IT TO MY GRAVE!" she yelled angrily with her eyes turning red from this. "YOUR ALLOWANCE HAS BEEN REVOKED!"

It was then that she hit him once again as a sound of it is heard outside the mansion once again.

"Yes, ma'am!" Luffy cried.

As soon as he left the house, the Van Houten couple went back inside with Nami still crying over her treasure being spent.

"Look, Nami, if you want to get money so bad, why don't you get a job for the day?" Erich suggested while sitting on the couch and reading newspaper.

"Good idea, Erich!" the navigator suddenly cheered up as she looks at the newspaper. "What job should I take?"

"How about babysitting? That could be good."

"I think that's a good idea."

"By the way, Elly, isn't it time for you to go to work?" Medena asked.

"You're right, Mother! Bye!" Elly realized as she gives her mother a kiss on the cheeks and so with her father. As for Nami, she gives her a hug before running off to her workplace. "I gotta get going! See you tonight!"

This is the day where work for the two redheaded childhood friends has begun.


	18. Babysitting 1

Nami walked through the streets of Solaris as she goes to the address of where she will babysit for money by the newspaper ad she got.

"It said, 'Lillington Street 20L'. Should be around the corner."

As soon as she goes in there, she saw an attractive blonde woman and her kids. However, the children doesn't look like much each other.

_If I'm not mistaken, those kids aren't siblings biologically related. They're just adopted_, she pondered.

"Can I help you, miss?" the woman asked.

"I'm here for a babysitting job," Nami showed the ad to her. "I heard I could get a lot of money if I do well."

"How thankful of you to accept it. You can do with anyway you want."

That was she said before she leaves her house. As Nami looked on the kids, they have smiles on their faces, and it's a sign that she is going to get along with them very well.

"Hi, I'm Nami, and I'm here to babysit," she said with a smile.

"Hi, Nami. I'm Jordan," said the older kid.

"And I'm Josh," said the younger kid.

"Looks like we're going to get along just fine. What do you want to do first?" Nami asked.

"Let's wash the dishes together," Jordan suggested.

"Good one."

As far as what the two brothers can do, Nami is washing the dishes, and after a few minutes, the chore is done.

"Done. What's next?" she requested.

"Let's have lunch. Mom left food on the table to heat it up," Josh pointed to their food, beef steak.

"Okay, then."

The three work together in fixing the table for their meal, and they were sitting on their chairs.

"So, you're really a Lamb, huh?" asked Jordan as Nami looked calm after taking her bite. "Don't worry, I won't turn you in to the authorities."

"Besides, you're a cool babysitter," his brother added with a smile.

"Thanks, you two," Nami is relief while taking her drink of water. After her drink, Jordan attempted to pass on some water to her, but he accidentally spilled the contents on her.

"I'm sorry!" the older brother exclaimed.

"Don't worry, it's okay," the redhead said with assurance.

"Let me help you," Jordan then took of her yellow shirt by force.

"Are you some kind of pervert?! What are you doing?!" Nami said with embarrassment while wrapping her arms to her chest.

"Let's get this dry up, so wear it for the meantime," Josh added as she gives Nami a set of clothes, and she recognizes it.

"This... must be a nightmare," the latter is mortified on what is she going to wear.

Nevertheless, she wears her set of clothes. She looked in the mirror to see herself of her new outfit, wearing a black and white minidress with a complex design, brown pantyhose, and black and white light boots. If that wasn't enough, she even saw Elly's reflection instead of her own.

"Just why did she have to join with those 'Drive' addict bozos?!" Nami grumbled as she snapped from the hallucination.

As soon as she went out of the changing room, the kids have their eyes with amazement.

"You look beautiful when you wear that Gebler uniform," Jordan complimented and his brother nodded.

"Thank you," Nami smiled at this.

They went outside to hang her clothes to dry.

"Now, what do you want to do?" she asked.

"Let's go out!" Jordan and Josh exclaimed happily.

The three walked around town to buy some things for their next activities.

"When will this line become short?" Nami is getting impatient for the line to get short, but as soon as she turns her attention to somewhere else, she screamed. It's Robin coming her way, and Nami is worried about this. If her friend caught her wearing a Gebler uniform while babysitting, she is going to be humiliated. "Kids, I'm going somewhere. Just watch the line."

"Okay, we will!" the two kids exclaimed together.

Nami runs to an alley to hide from her friend.

"Why did you have to show up here, Robin?" she demanded while hiding and takes a peek.

"So the shortcut to the shop is over there? Thanks for your help," Robin talked to two people before heading off.

Realizing this, the redheaded pirate runs off to the other side of town.

"I gotta hide!" she exclaimed when she saw Luffy on her right so she runs off to another spot. Unfortunately, she spotted Zoro and Sanji on the front, but they didn't notice her. "Crap!"

As a result, she spends her time running around to avoid being noticed of wearing a Gebler uniform. The people she noticed next are Chopper, Brook, Vivi, and Lola. She is getting exhausted from running around.

"I can't keep this up," she muttered.

"Having a rough time?" a male voice said.

"You can say that. I don't even know why did I have to wear this uniform..." Nami's expression turned into a surprise as she looked into her left, Usopp is there, and he saw that. "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!"

She hides him to an alley for a private conversation.

"Listen, I..." Nami started, looking embarrassed.

"Don't worry, Nami. I won't tell the crew you're wearing the same uniform as your childhood friend's," Usopp walked off from the alley and gives out a teasing attempting on her. "To be honest, it suits you."

As soon as he walked off, Nami blushes on this. She is quite humiliated. This is one weird job she could take.


	19. Babysitting 2

What a humiliating moment for Nami to be wearing a Gebler uniform and one of her crew mates caught her for that. Suddenly, she noticed the two kids are running towards her.

"Hey, what's the rush?" she asked in concern.

"Our mother, she's been kidnapped by some giant blue fish and his gang!" Jordan desperately explained.

_Giant blue fish? No, it couldn't be!_ Nami thought of who it is.

"Does he have a red sun tattoo on his chest?" she asked to be sure of the culprit.

"Yes, he has it!" Josh exclaimed.

"I knew it! Where are they taking her?"

"At some high tower on the Lexy Street!" Jordan replied.

"Kids, just stay put! I'll bring your mother back!" Nami ordered while running off.

"Okay, good luck, Nami!" the two brothers agreed to it.

* * *

Meanwhile, on some high tower by the Lexy Street, Arlong and his henchmen have taken the kid's mother hostage.

"So, Nancy, time for you to pay up $1 million from this place," the sinister Fishman stated.

"I don't have that kind of money!" the woman exclaimed.

"It's time for you to die, then," Arlong prepares his long sword with six saw-toothed black blades, Kiribachi, onto the woman.

"Not so fast, Arlong!" a voice exclaimed.

"Huh?" the Fishman and his crew looked on who said it, and it was Nami who said it.

"You'll have to answer to me first," the navigator approaches them with her Perfect Clima-Tact ready.

Next thing she realized is that Arlong and his crew are laughing at her. This is because of wearing a Gebler uniform.

"Nami! Did you want to join your friend?" the evil Fishman laughed.

"Hilarious," the redhead pirate muttered as she hits two Fishmen with her weapon. When one charges, she swings her weapon with an electric charge to the enemy. "Thunder Charge! Swing Arm!"

"Hey, save some Fishmen for us to hit, Nami!" Elly called as she, Robin, Vivi, and Lola have arrived. They happened to notice Nami wearing a Gebler uniform. "Um, Nami, why are you wearing a Gebler uniform?"

"I'll tell you about it after we get this situation in control," Nami replied.

"Get them!" Arlong pointed at the group.

"I'll deal with Arlong, you handle the rest!"

"Right!" the girls agreed.

Robin has her hand appearing on the each Fishman to snap their necks. Vivi makes some damage to those creatures with her Peacock Slashers, and Lola did the same with her swords. Elly uses an Ether spell as she spins herself like a ballerina and large ice shards are sent flying to the Fishmen.

As for Nami dealing with Arlong, the latter has his sword, Kiribachi, ready, and they exchange blows. Nami has activated a power from her Clima-Tact.

"Cool Charge!" she yelled as the power makes the environment chilling.

"What is that power of yours, Nami?" Arlong stated smugly and makes a slash on his enemy, but she fades away from this. "What the...?"

"This is Mirage Tempo. Pretty good, huh?" the redhead said with a smile before hitting him with her weapon.

"I see you have improved, but not enough."

As Arlong charges towards her, Nami raises her staff as an electric charge appears.

"Thunder Ball!" she yells the attack name and a barrage ball-like electricity hits Arlong to electrocute him. "To end this... Thunder Lance Tempo!"

The villain gets hit by lightning through his chest and falls down.

"This is not over," Arlong stated before losing consciousness, defeating him.

Once that is done, the girls approach the mother of the two kids.

"Are you okay, miss?" Nami asked.

"Yes, I'm okay," replied the mother. "And the kids?"

"They're fine."

* * *

Back to Jordan and Josh's house, Nami is back to wearing her regular clothes now that they're dry. Just as she gives the Gebler uniform back to the matriarch, the latter tells her to keep it as a reward. Also, she gives her the reward money of 10,000 dollars for her babysitting and rescue mission.

She joins with the girls as they walked through the streets of Solaris.

"Wow, that's a large amount of money you got, Nami," Elly commented.

"Well, you know me, Elly. I love money," her redhead best friend stated.

"That's our Nami," Robin said with a smile.

"Same here!" Vivi and Lola added.

"Anyway, you three go on ahead. Lola and I are going back to Earth now. Take care of yourselves," Vivi stated as she and Lola left.

"Take care, too!" Nami said her goodbye to the two.

At least she got her reunion with them from her previous adventures.


	20. Slumber Party

As soon as Nami, Robin, and Elly went back to the Van Houten residence from their fight with Arlong and his henchmen, they have a good dinner with Elly's parents, and...

"Let's have a pajama party for tonight. How about it?" Nami suggested.

"Why, that's a very good idea, Nami," Medena agreed. "That way, you and Elly can have your fun while staying in Solaris. Same goes for you, Robin."

"Thanks, Mrs. Van Houten," Robin smiled at the idea.

In the bedroom, Nami and her two friends are wearing their pajamas.

"Now, what do you want to do first, Nami?" Elly asked.

"I suggest we do some drawings like we used to," was her friend's reply as she gets close to her.

The three girls got into a rounded table as they started their drawings using crayons. For the two redheads, it's an unforgettable moment between them since childhood.

"Look, I draw a carrot!" Nami showed her drawing.

"And I draw a igloo!" Elly showed hers next.

Then they turned into Robin.

"What about you, Robin?" the redhead pirate asked.

"I draw a pyramid," her friend showed her drawing.

It was this moment they shared a laugh with each other.

"I wanted to talk to you about one thing, Elly. My goal is to draw a map of the entire world," Nami stated her plan.

"I'm impressed. Is that your reason to join Luffy?" Elly looks impressed, then turns to Robin. "How about you? What is your goal?"

"I want to find the Rio Poneglyph which tells the true history of the world," the brunette replied.

"Well, how about you, Elly? What is your goal?" Nami asked her old friend, but she finds her looking down. "Right. I'm sorry I asked."

"Hey, not to worry, Nami," her friend suddenly smiled. "Let's enjoy while we still can."

"Agreed..."

This is one best slumber party the two can ever have for their reunion.


	21. Stay or Leave?

In the middle of the night by 2 AM, Elly got up to get a glass of water before going back to bed. However, before she goes into the kitchen, she heard an argument between her best friend, Nami, and her parents, Erich and Medena. She opened the door a little bit to see it.

"Look, Erich, Medena, I can read what Elly is feeling right now. She shouldn't be with the Gebler soldiers," Nami argued as she slams the table with her two hands.

"What do you mean by that?" Erich demanded.

"Elly, she doesn't like doing things those other soldiers are doing."

"Why not? That's her life job!"

"No, it isn't, Erich! It's a nightmare for her! Did you know about her using the 'Drive'? She doesn't want that! She doesn't want to fight some guy she just met on the forest! Same here when I interfered on that fight! Do you want your daughter living in that prison for the rest of her life?"

As much as they don't want to admit it, both Erich and his wife were all guilty on this kind of argument so they look down as a sign.

"Just as I thought..." Nami confirmed their guilt.

"So, what do you propose, Nami?" Medena asked with guilt while holding her arms.

"I want Elly to leave the country. I can take care of her. Besides, we both made a promise that if we have nowhere to go, we'll take care of each other. In fact, I'm under the care of the Straw Hat Pirates. I can assure you that we can protect Elly," Nami explained while clasping her hands.

Elly looks stunned on what her childhood proposed on. She wanted her to leave the country with her so that she can be free from her responsibilities as a Gebler soldier.

"So you heard them," a voice stated and she turns around to see Robin behind her. "Don't worry. I won't tell them you eavesdropped on their argument."

"Well, Nami, if that's the way it is, then do what you must," Medena accepted the proposal with tears on her eyes.

"Same here," Erich accepted it as well.

"Good, we'll leave by tomorrow morning," Nami stated.

Meanwhile...

"So, Elly, what is your decision? To stay in Solaris or..." Robin started.

Elly thought back on what is happening on the past days; her meeting with Fei by the forest, fighting him while under the influence of the 'Drive', Nami butting in to the fight, getting her true self back to save her from falling, reconciling with Nami after their fight, being comforted by her in the night by the same forest they've met, and being told by the pirate one thing...

_"If you can't leave this place because it's your only home, then just leave the military,"_ Nami said in the flashback.

As she looked into the memories, the Gebler soldier makes her choice.

"I made my choice. I'm leaving Solaris by tomorrow morning," she said. Just as the brunette pirate looks with no emotion, she smiled at this choice.

"Just as I thought. Now, let's get some sleep," Robin said as she goes back to the bedroom to sleep.

"Um, Robin?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks," Elly said with a smile.

"No problem, Elly," Robin added with a smile as well.

As they went back to sleep, they know what happens tomorrow will be the day to leave the floating continent known as Solaris.


	22. Escaping Solaris

By the next morning, the Straw Hat Pirates, along with Elly, are on a run from the Gebler soldiers as they head to their ship, Thousand Sunny.

"You didn't have a plan to get there safely without triggering an alarm, Luffy?!" Nami yelled with annoyance.

"I just didn't think it through!" the captain exclaimed.

As two Gebler soldiers are in the way, Franky gets in front of them as he grabs them and toss them aside easily.

"A good entrance!" he exclaimed happily.

The group went to the hangar to find themselves surrounded with more Gebler soldiers.

"Get them!" one of them exclaimed.

"And also the traitor!" the other exclaimed, referring to Elly.

As the soldiers charge, Luffy makes his move against them.

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" he stretches his arm to make a fist on a large group.

"Wow, Nami, your captain is amazing!" Elly complimented.

"This goes to show you of his attacks when he ate the Gum-Gum Fruit," her old friend added.

"Is that so?" Dominia shows up, and she's not alone as she is with other three Elements. "How about I'll deal with you two right here and now? This time, I'm not alone. Meet Kelvena, the Water Element; Tolone, the Wind Element; and Seraphita, the Fire Element."

As the two redheads are about to put up a fight, Robin steps up as well. In the same time, the rest of the crew are fighting off the Gebler soldiers with Sanji kicking two of them when they use the 'Drive' on themselves. Chopper, in a different form, makes a punch to one of their Gears to knock over the other one.

For the obvious part, Dominia materializes her own sword. She makes her move to Nami, but Elly blocks the attack to defend.

"Just as I thought. For you to defend a Lamb," the white-haired girl said in a cold manner.

"This is because we don't make someone like her into a subordinate, but a true friend," the redhead soldier defended her friend's honor.

As she noticed Kelvena is about to make her move, Robin puts her arms in a cross shape in front of her chest.

"I don't think so," her arm started to throttle her before tossing her aside.

Nami and Dominia exchange blows with their respective weapons. The former makes her move with...

"Cool Charge!" she sends a wave to send the room to a cooling stage. If that wasn't enough, she sends a lot of mirages of herself to the Element.

"What the...?" Dominia is in for a surprise.

"With these mirages, you can't hit me."

"Oh, I can fix that!" Tolone sends a giant twister onto the pirate girl, and while the latter is caught in the wind, she zaps a beam from her finger in each mirage. With this, the mirages disappear.

"This isn't good..." Nami knows she's in for trouble.

Smiled at this, Dominia charges to her and successfully lands a stab to her shoulder.

"Nami! Leave her alone!" Elly angrily jabs the Element with her rod and sends a somersault kick to her face before helping her friend. "Nami, are you okay?"

"Yes, just a scratch," the pirate said.

"Are you both expecting this?" Seraphita emits a fireball from each of her hands and throws them at their direction, causing them to duck under the floor. As the two run, she throws the same attack on them, but they dodge it in every turn.

Luckily, Nami is about to make an electrical charge cloud from her Perfect Clima-Tact during the part. With this...

"Thunder Lance Tempo!" a lightning bolt is sent to Seraphita, knocking her down in the process.

Elly is exchanging blows with Dominia from her rob.

"Why do you defend this Lamb known as Nami?" the red Element demand.

"Because she is my friend, and that, she should be treated as an equal by Solaris, not being subordinated," Elly replied with determination.

The two locked locked their weapons before she jumps up high to hit her head.

As for Tolone, she is about to make an attack towards Nami, but...

"Nueve Fleur!" Robin exclaimed as she sprouts nine arms to twist the Element next. "Twist!"

"Let's end this once and for all!" Elly approaches Dominia and attacks her with her rod three times before doing a somersault kick.

The three girls successfully defeated the Elements.

"This isn't over yet!" Dominia looks angry at this moment before running off. "Let's see if you can handle me when we fight in Gears."

"Let's get out of here!" Robin exclaimed.

"Right!" Nami and Elly agreed.

Luckily, the crew has a good time in fighting the Gebler army, and went to the ship to leave Solaris. Also, it is covered with a bubble that is unbreakable.

"Next stop, Earth!" Luffy cried happily while pointing at the next destination.

The Sunny starts the rocket engine as it went flying off the base.

"So far, so good," Nami said.

Suddenly, the ship gets attacked by a dark warship and it has a Gear on it.

"Don't look now! That's Dominia pursuing us!" Elly cried.

"Gee, you think, Elly?" Nami stated the obvious.

"Here's a cannonball!" Chopper grabs a cannon to fire a cannonball to the ship and it failed when the Element's Aerods, Hecht, zapped it.

In fact, the Aerods started to zap the crew as they dodge attack.

"Nami, any ideas?" Elly asked.

"I got one," Nami started to whisper it to her ear.

"What? But that's crazy! If that's your idea, then I agree."

With the idea, Elly started to distract Dominia.

"Hey, Dominia! Over here!" she taunted the latter sticking her tongue out to her while dodging the beams.

Nami has her Perfect Clima-Tact to send a thundercloud hovering into Dominia.

"Well, here it goes," she pulls out a piece. "Thunderbolt Tempo!"

She sends a speck of lightning to the dark cloud above the Element, successfully hitting her directly. This stunned her long enough for the pirates to escape her grasp.

"Aw, smart move, Nami!" Franky complimented.

"Why, thanks," the redhead pirate smiled.

"Oh, Nami..." Elly hugged her best friend.

For the Straw Hat Pirates crew, it ends well in Solaris and outer space. It's time to go back to Earth and see what they will do next.


	23. Saying Goodbye

As soon as the Straw Hat Pirates, along with Elly, have their ship going straight to Earth, it landed on the ocean safely. Luckily, they saw land on where they were going. With this...

"Elly and I are going to take a walk to see what we can find," Nami instructed as she and her friend went to a small boat known as Mini Merry II. "Wait here."

And they agreed.

The two redhead childhood friends look around town to see it's surrounded by Gebler soldiers.

"We should avoid being seen by those people, Nami. This part of town, Sector A, is under martial law," Elly commented.

"I figure that," Nami agreed.

As soon as they decided to hide to one of the houses, they noticed Fei is there with Citan and Hammer.

"Um, Nami, may I talk to you privately?" Elly requested.

"Sure, Elly. I know what you want to talk to me about. I know what your problem is," Nami agreed.

They hide to the side of the house to just in time to let two soldiers pass by.

"It's just that," Elly looked at Nami in the eyes and tears started to appear by the corner of her eyes. "How can I face Fei? I've made so many mistakes and I let him down by refusing his offer to leave the army and join him. When we have our reunion, I... attacked him, and almost took his life. I almost took your life as well when you came."

To help her friend in this situation, the navigator could just put her arm around her shoulders.

"Look, if you're really sorry for your actions, I'm sure he'll forgive you. I'm sure he won't push you away for what happened the last time you two met. Want me to come along and help you talk to him?"

"No, I need to see him on my own," was Elly's decision.

"I thought so. Good luck, anyway," Nami gives a pat to her head.

"Thank you."

Elly gives out a smile as she went to the house. As soon as she did, Fei, Citan, and Hammer looked at her with their eyes wide. A moment of silence is for two minutes after this.

"Elly..." Fei started.

"Hello, Fei. It's been a while, huh?" the redhead soldier greeted.

"Yes, it is..."

"Listen, Fei..." Elly took a sit to one of the chairs found by the table. "I know you got some mixed feelings about seeing me, but I want you to know."

Tears are starting to leak out of her eyes as she found the words she is going to say.

"I'm so sorry, Fei. I'm so sorry about my actions. I don't know if I can make it up to you, but..."

Before she could say anything else, Fei reaches to her for a hug. All that matters to him is that she is safe and sound.

"I'm just you're okay," he said.

"I'm fine, but how can you forgive me so easily? After what has happened between you and me..."

"It's okay, Elly. I know you didn't mean it," Fei added.

"Fei..." Elly wiped her tears off from her eyes. "Thank you."

Then, she hugged him back as Nami arrived.

"That's a very nice, and I know you two are meant to be together," she smiled, and the two let go of the hug upon noticing her.

"Nami..." Fei didn't expect her arrival.

"Hey, you must be 'Cat Burglar Nami'," Citan pointed out. "I'm Citan Uzuki, and I'm a doctor from Lahan. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Citan."

The two shook each other's hands for a greeting.

"I'm Hammer," the brown-furred creature introduced himself.

"Elly, I know who you're worried about during our time at Solaris. It's Fei, isn't it? I can feel it," Nami stated. "It's up to you to decide who you should be with after this."

"Nami... I appreciate you're looking out for me. This is because we both promised to take care of each other when we were kids. But..." her friend started to admit on the statement as everyone in the room looks at her. "I made my choice. I'm going with Fei."

The redhead navigator just smiles at this and puts her arm to her friend's shoulder.

"I knew you'd made that choice. Remember this, Elly. No matter where we are, if we're together or not, and if we don't have a same job, you're still my best friend. You're still the same girl I met ten years ago in that forest."

With those heartwarming words, Elly gives a hug, and Nami returned it before they let go when the former goes to Fei.

"Fei, take care of Elly for me," the latter said.

"Don't worry, I will," the man replied.

The two best friends looked at each other with a smile before they go into separate ways. Nami left the house, knowing her friend will be safe with Fei. It is then she used Mini Merry II to get back to the Sunny without her.

"Where's Elly?" Sanji asked with concern.

"Don't worry, Sanji," Nami replied with a smile. "She's safe."

As she looked on the last place where she left Elly under Fei's care, Nami knows she has a good reunion with her and hopes to meet her again someday.


End file.
